by Marie Force
“Really?” Hearing her mother’s ringing endorsement of Shane, Katie felt her heart begin to beat faster with excitement and anticipation.
“He’s wonderful. He’s quiet, so it takes awhile to get to know him, but he’s so sweet and devoted to Laura and the baby. He’d do anything for me and for Owen. We’re all quite fond of him around here—and not just because he’s Laura’s brother. And now, after hearing what he did for you yesterday, he’s earned a permanent place in my heart.”
“That’s nice to hear.”
“You have nothing—and I do mean nothing—to fear from him, Katie.”
“I keep telling myself that, because I want to change. I want to be more courageous and take some chances.”
“Then that’s exactly what you should do.” Sarah paused, seeming to choose her words carefully. “You should know… He hasn’t had it easy either.”
“What do you mean?”
Sarah shook her head. “That’s for him to tell you—if or when he decides he wants to. Until then, take my word for it. He’s a good guy, and you should go out with him tonight and enjoy yourself and relax about all the things that have held you back in the past. Think of this as a fresh start, a whole new you.”
A whole new me… Was that what she wanted? Yes, she decided right then and there. She desperately needed a change, and going out to dinner with Shane would signal the start of a new phase in her life, one in which she wouldn’t spend so much time being afraid.
Everyone who mattered to her had endorsed him as a good guy, and he’d shown her that himself with the way he’d come to her rescue the day before, not to mention the tender way he treated his nephew. It mattered greatly that her mother and Owen thought highly of him. Somehow that had to be enough. There’d never been a more ideal circumstance for wading into the dating pool than a night out with Shane McCarthy.
Sarah took hold of Katie’s hand. “I’m so glad you’ll be staying awhile. I’ve missed you so much.”
For the first time in a long time, Katie felt excited about something. “Me, too.”
Chapter 6
Shortly after the astonishing exchange with Katie, Shane took a call from his cousin Mac, who invited him to join other family members on a fishing trip for the afternoon.
“I’ve got something I have to do at seven,” Shane told Mac. “Will we be back in time?” No way was he going to be late for his date with Katie, not when it had taken all his courage to ask her and seemingly all of hers to accept.
“Oh yeah, we’ll be back long before seven.”
“Sounds good, then.”
“Come on over to the marina as soon as you can.”
“I’ll be there in ten.” Shane changed into swim trunks and a T-shirt, and tossed sunscreen and a bucket hat into a backpack. On the way downstairs, he met up with Laura and Owen, who were on their way up with Holden asleep on Owen’s shoulder.
“Where’re you off to?” Laura asked.
“Going fishing with Mac and some other guys.” To Owen, he said, “Want to come?”
“Not this time.” Owen glanced at Laura. “But thanks for the invite.”
“He’s on his honeymoon,” Laura added. “It’s the stay-cation kind of honeymoon.”
“Spare me the details,” Shane said with a grimace. “I’ll see you later.”
“Have fun,” Laura called after him.
“Thanks!” Shane went out through the kitchen to the parking lot behind the hotel where he kept the motorcycle he’d bought from an elderly island resident who couldn’t use it anymore. The bike was perfect for getting around the island in the summer, but he planned to invest in a truck before winter set in.
He strapped on the helmet his father had made him promise to wear every time he used the bike. Frank McCarthy, who’d been both father and mother to him and Laura since their mother died, was still overprotective.
Shane would never admit to his father that he barely remembered his mother. Losing her was something he didn’t like to think about too much. His memories of her were tied up in photographs more than reality. He remembered her being sick for a long time before she died. He remembered the fear of knowing something bad was happening and watching the adults in his life carefully for signs of trouble.
His Aunt Linda and Uncle Mac had come to Providence from their home on Gansett frequently during the winter his mother died, and the following summer, Shane and Laura had come to stay with them on the island, which was something Shane vividly remembered. The time with his cousins, aunt and uncle had been therapeutic for him and for Laura, who’d taken the loss of their mother even harder than he had.
Shane remembered being numb for a long time after his mother died, sort of the same way he’d felt after his marriage imploded. Today, when Katie had come to his door—her eyes crackling with emotion that might’ve been anger at her sister who had obviously been goading her—Shane had felt anything but numb. He’d felt alive for the first time in two years.
It wasn’t wise, he knew, to get too excited about one date, but that one date was a major step forward for him after having been stuck on pause for two long years. Maybe nothing would come of it other than an enjoyable evening with a woman who interested him.
That was fine, or so he told himself as he drove the bike from South Harbor to the McCarthy’s Gansett Island Marina in North Harbor, dodging traffic of all sorts on the way—cars, trucks, mopeds, pedestrians, bicycles and even baby strollers filled the island roadways on summer weekends when the population swelled dramatically.
At the marina, he found a big crowd of family members surrounding his uncle “Big Mac” McCarthy, one of Shane’s favorite people in the world. His uncle was all about family and fun and laughter, and Shane loved being around him. In addition to Mac Junior, Big Mac’s other sons, Grant, Evan and Adam, were there, as were Shane’s Uncle Kevin and his sons, Riley and Finn, who’d come for the wedding. The group also included Big Mac’s son-in-law, Joe Cantrell, who was married to Shane’s cousin Janey, along with Luke Harris, who’d worked at the marina since he was fourteen, and Big Mac’s best friend, Ned Saunders.
“Shane!” Big Mac’s bellow welcomed him as he parked the bike and stowed his helmet. “Get over here.”
“I’m coming,” Shane said, amused as always by his larger-than-life uncle. “Where’s Dad?”
“On his way,” Kevin said.
“Oh good.” Frank would never miss a gathering of McCarthy men, especially when there was fishing, beer and good times to be had.
“Meet my friend Buster,” Big Mac said of the stocky man standing next to him. “That’s his boat over there.” Big Mac pointed to what had to be a fifty-foot powerboat with huge towers and serious fishing equipment built in. “When he heard my whole family was in town for a wedding, he offered to take us out for a few hours today.”
Shane noticed his cousin Grant eyeing the boat with trepidation and wondered if he or his brothers had been on a boat since the catastrophic sailboat accident they’d been in last spring. Killed in that accident had been the captain, Steve Jacobson. Shane’s dad, Frank, was now dating Steve’s mother, Betsy, who’d come to the island after the accident to find out more about what’d happened to her son.
Seeing his dad and Betsy together, both of them nursing deep hurts, had given Shane a glimmer of hope that it was possible to move on after a terrible loss. Granted, his loss couldn’t be compared to what his dad or Betsy had endured, but it had been every bit as catastrophic to him. That Courtney had chosen to leave him was almost worse than losing her to death. Or so he suspected. He couldn’t imagine anything more painful than his wife choosing to leave him when he was still completely in love with her, despite the mess she’d made of their lives.
“You okay, man?” his cousin Riley asked Shane. Younger than him by five and six years respectively, Riley and his brother, Finn, closely resembled their cousins Mac and Adam with their dark hair and McCarthy blue eyes.
“Yeah, I’m good.” Better tha
n he’d been in a while, Shane realized all at once.
“Haven’t seen you in a long time, but I hope you know…”
Shane saved his cousin the trouble of finishing the sentence by squeezing Riley’s shoulder. “I know. Thanks.”
Frank arrived, full of apologies for holding them up, and Big Mac ushered everyone onto the boat that he’d already outfitted with coolers full of food and drinks. His uncle did spontaneous fun better than anyone, and a day on the water with all his favorite guys made what was already shaping up to be a rather awesome weekend even better.
* * *
Shane caught the biggest fish of the day—an eighty-pound bluefin tuna that put up one hell of a fight. It took Shane and four of his cousins working together to land the beast. Victorious and euphoric, Shane accepted slaps on the back and congratulations from the others even as his arms shook with fatigue.
“That’s my boy,” Frank said proudly, embarrassing the hell out of Shane with his effusiveness.
“We’ll cook it up tonight,” Big Mac declared. “Tuna for everyone at the marina.”
Shane didn’t mention he had other plans and wouldn’t be joining them.
“Do ya even know how ta cook a tuna?” Ned asked his buddy.
“Nope, but I bet Linda does. She knows everything.”
“How long are you married before you admit that?” Mac asked his father.
“If you’re a smart man like me, you figure it out before you get married.”
“Oh, puleeze.” Grant rolled his eyes at his brothers and cousins, who made barfing noises that had the older men laughing.
Big Mac dismissed their ridicule with the sweep of his hand. “Boys, listen to me when I tell you… The two most essential words required for a happy marriage are ‘yes’ and ‘dear.’”
“Would it be okay if we mentioned this advice you shared with us to Mom?” Adam asked.
“It might be better if you didn’t,” Big Mac said to much laughter. “You know that saying, ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’? Well, the same can be said for when you’re at sea.”
“You are so full of shit it’s not even funny,” Kevin said.
“Now that just hurts my feelings,” Big Mac said to his younger brother.
“Sure it does,” Frank said. He handed out cans of beer to everyone on board as they headed back to the marina after a fantastic afternoon on the water.
With the others heading up to the bridge for the ride, Shane found himself alone with his father on the back deck.
Frank raised his can in tribute to his son. “That was one hell of a battle.”
“My arms hurt like a mo-fo.”
Frank laughed. “You won’t be able to move tomorrow.”
“So much for thinking I’m in pretty good shape.”
“You’re in great shape, and unless my eyes deceive me, getting better all the time. Am I right?”
Shane knew his father meant more than physical shape. “I’m better.” He was tired of mourning for what he’d lost. Almost against his will, his broken heart had begun to heal. Life had gone on, whether he’d wanted it to or not.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that. I’ve spent a lot of time worrying about you the last couple of years and wondering if you’d ever be the same again.”
“Sorry to have worried you.”
“Not your fault. What happened to you… Well, suffice to say, it still boggles my mind.”
“Mine, too.”
“You got dealt a shitty hand, son. One you didn’t deserve. It pains me to think of you spending the rest of your life alone because you think all women are like her. They’re not.”
“I know.” Shane glanced at his dad, who’d been the most important person in his life until the day he married Courtney. Since she left him, his father and sister had propped him up in every way they could. “I’m going out with Katie tonight.”
A smile stretched across Frank’s face. “Are you now?”
“Don’t make a big thing of it—and don’t tell Uncle Mac.” Big Mac would definitely make a big thing of it. Everything was a big deal where he was concerned, which was one reason his nickname suited him so well.
Frank laughed. “Don’t worry. I won’t. I gotta say, though, hearing about what happened with you two yesterday about stopped my heart.”
“Adele didn’t tell the whole story.”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw Katie was in trouble, and I swam after her, but she panicked and dragged us both down. For a minute there…”
“Oh my God, son.” Frank rested his hand on his heart, his face slack with shock.
“I had to fight her off so I could save us both. It was pretty hairy.”
“You truly are a hero. I’m so proud of you.”
Shane shrugged off the praise. “I did what anyone would’ve done.”
“Regardless, I’m still proud—and incredibly thankful you’re all right. And just think, if something comes of this thing with Katie, you’ll have a hell of a story to tell the grandchildren.”
Shane laughed. “Jeez, Dad! We’re going out for the first time tonight, and you’ve already got us married with grandchildren?”
“I was watching you two during brunch. Call me crazy, but I see a spark there.”
Shane couldn’t deny he’d felt the spark his father had seen, but he didn’t dare encourage him. “She’s really nice and sweet.”
“And beautiful.”
“Is she?” Shane said, teasing. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Sure you haven’t.”
“Do me a favor? Don’t say anything about me going out with her. She’s… hesitant. I wouldn’t want the McCarthy mob scene to scare her off before I get the chance to know her.”
“She’s hesitant, no doubt, because of the monster who raised her.”
“Which would make anyone hesitant.”
“I want to say something here, but I don’t want you to take it the wrong way...”
His father’s unusual hesitancy made Shane curious. “What?”
“After everything you’ve already been through, I’d hate to see you get hurt again. I know more than I probably should about how Mark Lawry treated his wife and children. Their scars run deep.”
“We’re just going to dinner, Dad. You’re the one who has us married with grandchildren.”
“Touché,” Frank said with a laugh. “Just please be careful. I never again want to see you flattened the way you were after everything with Courtney.”
“Believe me, I have no desire whatsoever to go through anything like that again.”
“Moving forward… It’s a risk, but one worth taking.”
“Are we talking about me now or you?”
“Both, I suppose.”
“Things are good with Betsy?”
“Things are great. We’re taking it slowly, but it gets better all the time.”
“I’m glad for you. You were alone for a long time.”
“I was never alone. I had you and your sister and this great big family around me. I was okay.”
“But this is better, right?”
“Yeah,” Frank said with a small smile. “This is much better.”
Chapter 7
When they returned to port around three o’clock, Frank left the marina with promises to be back later for tuna and headed straight for Betsy’s cottage. They had plans to get together that night, but after the conversation with his son on the boat, he wanted to see her now. Her car was in the driveway, so he knocked on the door and waited for her to answer.
She smiled at the sight of him standing on her doorstep, sunburned and salty after a day on the water. “This is a nice surprise.”
“I hope I’m not interrupting your work.” Since moving to the island for the summer, she’d been exploring her interests in painting and photography. Judging by the paint-splattered smock she wore, today was a painting day. Her dark curls were tied up in a messy bun that he found adorable.
<
br /> “I was about to take a break. Come in.”
Frank followed her into the tiny but cozy cottage she had rented from Ned Saunders. She hadn’t made any decisions about whether she planned to stay for the winter, and Frank was trying not to pressure her. She knew he wanted her to stay, and she’d promised to think about it. For now, they were enjoying the time they got to spend together.
“How was the fishing?”
“Fantastic. Shane bagged an eighty-pound tuna.”
Betsy retrieved a pitcher of lemonade from the fridge and poured two glasses over ice. “Wow, good for him.”
“He had a great time. Nice to see him smiling and happy.”
“I’m sure it is.”
Frank wanted to shoot himself for being so insensitive. “I’m sorry. That was thoughtless of me.”
“What was?”
“Talking about my happy, smiling son.”
“Frank, please don’t worry about that. Of course you’re happy that your son, who’s been through such an awful ordeal, seems to be doing better. I don’t want you to feel you can’t talk about your kids just because I lost mine. That wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was a tragic accident, and I miss him terribly. But being around your family and your kids makes me feel better.”
“I’m glad.” Needing to be closer to her, he moved across the kitchen until he was standing right in front of her. “Being around you makes me feel better, too. In fact, you make me feel better than I have in more than twenty years.”
“Is that right?” she asked with the warm smile he’d come to adore, especially when it was directed at him.
“Yep.” He put down his glass and placed his hands on the counter on either side of her hips. “You’ve got paint on your cheek.”
“I do? Where?”
He ran his finger over the spot where a dot of navy blue paint had landed. “Here.”
She leaned into his touch, her eyes closing and her lips parting.
Frank couldn’t resist the powerful need to kiss her, and her enthusiastic response made him groan with desire for more of her. He’d kissed her for the first time after their friends Seamus and Carolina’s wedding, and their physical relationship had been confined to kissing thus far. But he couldn’t deny he wanted much more of her. “Betsy…”
